Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Round 2 Previews January 2014.
There are eight Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup 2nd Round games scheduled to take place on Saturday 25th January.
Dalriada School will host Portadown College at the St James’ Road venue in a game the home team will expect to win.
Team coach, David Dougherty, who is assisted by Scott Nelson, has assembled a squad that is a good mix of both youth and experience. Nine of the squad are in their last year at school. In captain, Timmy Emerson, a member of the victorious Ulster U19 squad earlier in the season, the team has an experienced Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup campaigner and a player central to the ambitions of the Dalriada team. Timmy gets good support from experienced players such as Ryan Malcolmson, Gavin McCaughren and Matthew Steele. He provides a positive role model for young emerging players such as Angus Johnston and Alan Montgomery. The Portadown College team will have to monitor Timmy closely if they are to take anything from the game. The teams met earlier in the season in a tournament hosted by Dalriada. On that occasion the Dalriada team won the encounter and would appear to have enough ability to progress to the next round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup.
However, the Portadown College team will be delighted to be seen as underdogs going into this game. The travelled to Carrickfergus Grammar School in the 1st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup and came away with a resounding victory. They will have gained a lot of confidence from that result and will travel to Dalriada in a very positive frame of mind. Central to their success against the Carrickfergus Grammar School team was the performance of their outhalf, Niall Davidson. Niall displayed great game management skills throughout the game and contributed twenty of the thirty points scored by the Portadown College team. He performed well with his young half back partner, Michael Orr, throughout the game. The Portadown College team has experienced success in recent weeks and if the Portadown College pack, with captain, Ryan Turner, at its heart, can provide a sufficient quantity of quality possession, the Portadown College backline can ask questions of the Dalriada defence. Team coach, Andrew Symington, will encourage this so that talented attacking players such as Jason Lau, Thomas Troughton and Jack Orr can get the opportunity to display their attacking prowess.
This game is scheduled to kick off at 10-45am.
The Banbridge Academy players were delighted with their performance against Larne Grammar School in the 1st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup.
The team played very well on that occasion but will have to take their performance to another level if they are to have any chance of defeating the much improved Coleraine Academical Institution team when the two teams meet in the 2nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup game in Banbridge. Players such as captain, Rory Thompson, the Carson brothers, Ben and Rory, scrum half, Jay Pinion, full back Daniel McElderry and flanker, Ethan Harbinson all stepped up to the mark against the Larne Grammar School team. Coach, Brian Leslie, will be hoping for much more of the same if his young charges are to have any chance of a positive outcome to this game.
The Coleraine Academical Institution team will see themselves as clear favourites to win this game. After a good start start to the season the team slowed up somewhat in October, losing three games in a row. Since then, the team has improved dramatically as a host of recent results would suggest. They have key players in key positions, none more so that their captain, Conor Shiels, who was a vital part of the successful Ulster U19 team earlier in the season. Conor forms an effective midfield trio with Calum Smith and Mark Gordon. Coach Richard Beggs, assisted by Stephen Douglas, Mark Palmer and Allie Cooper, has assembled an experienced group of players. Six of the team will be taking part in their third Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup campaign. As well as Conor Shiels, players such as Daniel McAllister, Andrew Moore, George McKeag, Marcus McKeag, Mac O’Neill, Peter Bonnar, Ryan Gillan, Matthew Norris and Calum Smith have caught the attention of the Talent ID Department of Ulster Rugby. There are two sets of brothers in the squad, David and Scott Greatorex as well as George and Marcus McKeag. They will be hoping it will be a case of “Happy Families” after final whistle on Saturday.
This game is scheduled to kick off at 10-45am.
The Down High School team has recorded some impressive results this season, including one against their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Round 2 opponents, Lurgan College.
The Down High School coaches, Charlie Knox and John Gunson, know their team will have to be at their best to overcome a Lurgan College team that will be keen to show their shoddy display against Antrim Grammar School in the 1st Round was a “one off”. The Down High School team, captained by the hard working Darren Cheung, has chalked up some impressive victories this season. Thomas Donnan and Nathan Gibson have caught the eyes of Ulster Age Grade selectors while recent new comer to the Down High School ranks, Josh Bingham, was involved with the Ulster U18 Club team earlier in the season. These are all accomplished players who will need to be watched closely by the Lurgan College team. Ryan Smyth, Ricky Gill, Niall Gregg and Chris Smyth are all talented players available in the Down High School backline while Patrick Wright is a first class place kicker. Darren Cheung and Thomas Donnan have fellow forwards such as Thomas McCavera, Peter Calvert and Nathan Gibson to call upon when it comes to set piece time. If the Down High School team can overcome any psychological difficulties they may have with Schools’ Cup matches, the Lurgan College team could be in for a torrid time.
The Lurgan College players know they were fortunate to defeat Antrim Grammar School in the 1st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup. They will be out to prove their doubters wrong but will need to raise their Schools’ Cup bar for the game against Down High School. Experienced players such as team captain, Mark McIlwaine, will look to his younger team mates James Patterson, Jamie Hunter and Ryan Osbourne to step up to the mark for the Down High School game. Team coaches, Neil Ross and Geoff Caldwell, will want to see their pack win more quality possession and, in this respect, players such as Harry Simpson, Cameron Lyness and Jack Harrison will have a key role. Jordan McIwaine has scored tries for fun in the course of the season so far. He will want to see more of the ball in this game if his team is to have any realistic chance of winning.
This game is scheduled to kick off at 10-30am.
Regent House had to work hard to overcome the very positive display put on by the Wellington College team when the teams met in the 1st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup.
They will have to work equally hard when they host Portora Royal School in the 2nd Round. The Regent House team will see themselves as favourites to progress against the Portora RS team as they defeated them earlier in the season by the narrowest of margins. Gavin Anderson, Jonathan Harris, Darragh McClelland and team captain, Matthew Johnston, all played well against the Wellington College team. Team coach, Peter Lowry, knows they will need a repeat performance against Portora Royal School on Saturday.
The Portora Royal School team has had a mixed season of results so far this season. They have, maybe, flattered to deceive at times but will travel to Newtownards in the hope they can reverse the narrow defeat to Regent House earlier in the season. Coach and Director of Rugby, Adrian Walker, who has Jonny Gibson as his assistant, will be keen to see his charges lift the recent level of their performances to ensure they can compete on at least a level footing with the Regent House team. John Clarke was an established member of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U18 squad earlier in the season. James Gibson is the Portora Royal School captain. The performances of these two talented players will be seen as vital if the Portora Royal School team is to progress in the competition.
This game is scheduled to kick off at 11-15am.
It is a tribute to the success of rugby in Belfast High School, and the hard work of the staff and players in recent seasons, when it can be noted that seventeen players in the Belfast High School squad have played in previous Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup matches.
Coaches Michael Rainey, David Scott, Richard Bleakley and James Rice will take nothing for granted as they prepare the squad for their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup 2nd Round game against an Omagh Academy team still on a high after their excellent 1st Round victory against the Royal School, Dungannon team. The Belfast High School team has players such as Conor McDermott, captain Lewis Benson, Robbie Reid, Joel McBride, son of former Malone, Ulster and Ireland flanker, Denis, and Jordan Garford, all of whom have gained Ulster Schools’/U19 representative honours in recent seasons. With such an array of talent available it is clear to see why many people will see the Belfast High School team as clear favourites to win this game. However, this talented group of players should not take the opposition lightly if they wish to progress to the next round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup.
The Omagh Academy team will be only too willing to act as “spoil sports” when the teams meet in this eagerly anticipated Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Round 2 game. The foundation for their success in the previous round was laid by the Omagh Academy pack in both their set piece play and at the breakdown. Their team captain, James Catterson, was a colossus throughout that game with his performance in the Omagh Academy 2nd Row. He got great support from fellow forwards such as Stuart Allen, James Mitchell and Mark Clyde. The Omagh Academy back line features players such as Adam Beattie and Stuart Ballentine, two very astute half backs. Stuart is also a first class place kicker who has rarely missed kicks for his team throughout the season. Lloyd Kane and Adam Stephenson get through a lot of work, in both attack and defence, in the Omagh Academy midfield. The Omagh Academy coaches, Ross Hunter and Jackie Reid, were rightly proud of the performance of their team in the previous round. Their players will be going all out to make them even more proud after their game against Belfast High School.
This game is scheduled to kick off at 11-00am.
Over the years Rainey Endowed School rugby teams have always looked, with relish, at getting a home draw in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup competitions.
This year’s team will be no different and will see their home game against the Belfast Royal Academy team in the 2nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup as another opportunity for a real giant killing act. The Rainey Endowed School team, coached by their illustrious Past Pupil and current member of staff, Chris Campbell, has struck some good form in the build up to the Schools’ Cup game. They have lost just four of their games this season and go into this game with experienced players such as Head Boy and Hooker, Samuel Hawe, Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2nd Row, Conal Murphy, lock, Mark Kavanagh and Vice-Captain, David McClelland all participating in their third Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup campaign. As ever, with any Rainey Endowed School rugby team, there is a diverse range of sporting talent available. Stephen McAuley is an Antrim Gaelic Minor Footballer, Eunan Shaw, an Ulster U19 squad member, is also a Lavey GAC Hurler, Captain, Kieran Lynch, as well as being a very fine place kicker, is a Derry Minor Gaelic Footballer while Mark Rooney is a Cookstown Hockey Club Senior League player as well as being a Tyrone Minor Gaelic Footballer. The Nicholl brothers, Andrew and Rory, form a formidable partnership in the Rainey backline, a backline whose activities are orchestrated by Scott Campbell, son of the Rainey coach, Chris. Chris and his assistants, Peter Boyle and Clive Lindsay, will be hoping the Rainey Endowed team gets sufficient ball against the Belfast Royal Academy team so that their multi- talented group of players gets the opportunity to show the large crowd of expectant supporters, certain to be in attendance, exactly what they are capable of achieving.
The Belfast Royal Academy team, coached by Chris McCarey and David Creighton, has experienced difficulties in consistency in the course of the season so far. They have achieved some excellent results while other results have been disappointing. However, five of their squad members bring Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup experience to the team. Stewart Martin, who is team captain, Chris Torrens, Ross Bryans, David Campbell and Jordan Hylton all played last season with Stuart, David and Jordan all going on to gain Age Grade representative honours with Ulster U19’s and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ teams. In Gareth McAdams, the Belfast Royal Academy team has a very impressive young back row forward whose progress will be closely monitored by the Ulster Age Grade Management teams. Michael Wilson is an excellent place kicker who will make the most of any opportunities presented to him. If the Belfast Royal Academy team can replicate the good form of some of their games this season, and handle the pressure which a Schools’ Cup game at the Rainey School brings, there might be a surprise result on the cards at the end of this game.
This game is scheduled to kick off at 10-45am.
Grosvenor Grammar School coaches, Kyle McCallan and Gary Hunter were delighted with the effort the Grosvenor team put in when they defeated Cambridge House in the 1st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup.
However, they will have brought their squad back down to earth as they prepare to take on the Bangor Grammar School team in the 2nd Round. The Bangor Grammar School team will see themselves as clear favourites to win this game and their record this season would suggest they should. The Grosvenor Grammar School team scored seven tries against Cambridge House with Zac Smith completing his hat trick. He got great support from players such as James Cartilage, Karl McLean, Mark Johnston and Jonah McDowell. These players, along with the hard working Sam Purdon, are central to any hopes the Grosvenor Grammar School team might have of progressing in the competition. In Jonah McDowell the Grosvenor team has an excellent place kicker who will be only too happy to punish any Bangor Grammar School technical indiscretions or bouts of ill-discipline.
The Bangor Grammar School Director of Rugby, Jason Morgan, who is assisted by Phil Cartmill, will know his team will have to play to their full potential if they are to overcome the hard-working Grosvenor Grammar School team. There is a lot of experience in the Bangor Grammar School pack with players such as Andrew Shaw, Zach Slevin, Elliott Boylan, Glenn Burton, Adam Brennan and Chris Boal having played in a number of Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup campaigns. Jason will have some difficult selection decisions to make as three of these players can play in the hooker position! Sean Fair, Ross McCloskey, Phil Broderick and Matthew Coffey bring experience to the Bangor Grammar School backline with Ross one of the leading points scorers in Ulster Schools’ Rugby this season. The Grosvenor Grammar School defence will need to monitor these players closely if they are have any hope of a positive outcome to this game.
This game is scheduled to kick off at 10-30am.
The Limavady Grammar School team reached the Quarter-Final stage of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup last season.
They have a large number of players in their squad who reached the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Final three seasons ago. That final was played at Ravenhill and the same players, along with their younger team mates, would love another opportunity to run out at “Headquarters”. Limavady Grammar School coaches, Stephen Barr, Chris Nash and Sam Vallelly, have worked with a team that has lost on only three occasions this season. Their recent form would suggest they are playing really well at just the right time of the season. They will host near neighbours and close rivals, Foyle and Londonderry College, in the 2nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup. The Limavady Grammar School team has recorded two victories already this season against their neighbours. They will see this game as an opportunity for a third win. Captained by Michael Barr, the Limavady team has a very well organised pack of forwards with one of their players, prop, Rory Squires, having been involved with the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ squad. Sam Mackey, Brendan Ferguson, Stephen Fallows and Richard Boyd bring a great deal of experience to the Limavady Grammar School pack. Their performance on Saturday will be set to provide quality possession for the talented Limavady Grammar School backline. The key player in that backline is Scott McLean, son of Rainey Old Boys’ RFC legend, Arnie McLean. Scott has scored a lot of points for his team this season and will want to score more against the Foyle College team. He relies on his half back partner, Ross Allen, for a constant supply of ball so that he can create opportunities for outside backs such as Jamie Millar, Tom McClelland and Joel Stirling to cause problems for the opposition defences. The Limavady coaches have rarely been able this season to select from a fully fit squad of players. They are able to do so for this Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup game and that fact alone should see them safely through this game.
The Foyle and Londonderry College team had built up a 21-0 lead by half time against Friends’ School, Lisburn in the 1st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup. They allowed the Friends’ School team back into the game in the second half. The Foyle College team will need to play to their full potential for the entire game when they travel to Limavady. There are a number of quality players in the Foyle College squad. Their coaches, David Barnett and Ray Menown, know how much their experienced captain, Patrick Leeson, brings to the team. They will expect Patrick to lead from the front and hope that players such as Kevin Callaghan, Jack McNeill, Hayden Campbell and Alex McDonnell can get in behind him. This game is not only a Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup match; it is a “Derby” game. That fact alone could lead to an upset but that is unlikely to be the final outcome to this game.
This game is scheduled to kick off at 10-30am.
There are three Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy Quarter-Final games scheduled for Saturday 25th January.
Larne Grammar School v Royal School, Dungannon
Antrim Grammar School v Wellington College
Friends’ School, Lisburn v Carrickfergus Grammar School
These games are all scheduled to kick off at 10-30am.
